Govette considering state school

[BeingFluffy]

Gove, wife and Govette were spotted at Holland Park School today (special tour from the Head Teacher himself!). They came into DD's class.

[BeingFluffy]

My money is on St Marylebone, Chelsea Academy or Greycoats. I think they would reject Burlington as too errm "rough". I see a handful of Twyford kids in North Kensington but mainly boys. I actually would have some respect for him if he did choose Holland Park - DD thought him and especially wife looked very impressed with it. They are moving into the new building in November and they put on a good show. Also a direct bus route to their house unlike some of the others, though I imagine security guard or nanny drives the kids.

[MsAverage]

Can anybody enlighten me what is special with faith schools?

DD, who is a forth generation atheist, attends a catholic secondary. There are also practising Muslims in the calss - they just do not participate in Christian activities like prayers and that's it. I do not feel any special difference between this catholic school and the secular school DD was attending earlier.

Why are people putting faith schools in the same category as grammas and private?

[BeingFluffy]

Mrs Average - because in this part of London there tends to be a higher concentration of stable middle class families with children at church schools than at comprehensive schools. Catholic schools in this area admit observant catholics only because they are oversubscribed and if you are C of E that gives you a massive advantage to pick a C of E school over everyone else, because regular church goers are relatively few in number.

In my DDs comp, most people with a religion are muslim and therefore excluded from these schools. Her school also has a higher proportion of those with lower incomes and arguably social need. Among her friendship group of 12 or so girls, only two including her, have two parents who live together.

[mumzy]

Maybe Gove, Clegg, Cameron will do a "Diane Abbott"

[CecilyP]

Though it wouldn't really be a 'Diane Abbott' as the conservatives are not ideologically in favour of comprehensive education.

MsAverage, if your DD's Catholic secondary can take pupils of all faiths or none, then it is just a normal comprehensive. Other very oversubscribed Catholic schools don't just limit there intake to Catholic pupils, but make regular church attendance, amongst other things, a prerequisite for gaining a place. One of the effects of this is to not to have children for more stable middle class families, but also to filter out all but a handful of lower ability children as shown by the 2011 league tables.

[Welcometothemadhouse]

Be very interesting to see where he chooses. What about WLFS - his flag ship policy. Will be irked if they get into Holland Park and we don't as we must live a good (ooh) 20 yards closer than him and reckon we don't stand a chance! (we're 1.5 miles - furthest last year on offer day 1.45miles). Burlington Danes is closer for both Gove and us but for me I want a secular choice and the only one available is HP.

[gottodecidesoon]

BeingFluffy Have you heard proper rumours about Cameron's DD going to Grey Coat? Just interested as have DD there myself. Don't know whether it would be a good thing or bad thing really - suppose there would be security implications. Be interesting to see whether he bottles and sends her to somewhere like Godolphin or somewhere after all. Grey Coat is nearest secondary to Downing Street though.

[BeingFluffy]

I had a conversation with a government ministers wife, a couple of years ago about local schools (met via voluntary work, I am not a Tory) and her money was on Grey Coats but I don't know how well if at all she knows the family - if at all - and things can change in a couple of years. Generally St Marylebone seems better regarded among that "set" for some reason! I have no idea why, I have always thought GC was a lovely school.

[Whatasecret]

I reckon Cameron will go private but for a day school such as Godolphin, Notting Hill & Ealing, Latymer Upper or CLGS rather than for a big name boarding school which I would imagine he would go for if he weren't Prime Minister.

[Devora]

I used to live in the same street as the state primary school where Cameron and Gove send their kids. They lived about two miles away.

Needless to say, my kid couldn't get in there... It was known locally as the Eton of state primaries, and you had to be seriously churchy or seriously well connected to get in. Taxpayers living in the same street? No chance.

[Dominodonkey]

roisin are you going to pick his university and wife too?

I highly doubt your son is as stupid as you suggest- I think you should guide them a little but I find the idea that you made the decision without consulting him archaic.